Method of forming separable snap fastener studs



June 19, 1934. w I, ONES 1,963,853

METHOD OF FORMING SEPARABLE SNAP FASTENER STUDS Filed March 30, 1935 fzwezzibr: u Zzller lones Patented June 19, 1934 UNETD STATES METHOD OF FORMING SEPARABLE SNAP FASTENER STUDS Walter I. Jones, Arlington, Mass, assignor to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 30, 1933 Serial No. 663,513

6 Claims. (Cl. 113116) portions are bent into proper relation;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of my improved stud member partially formed; and

Fig. 5 is a plan, side elevation and edge view,

respectively, of a modified form of my improved stud member.

Referring to the particular embodiment of my invention illustrated by the drawing, I have shown a sheet metal snap fastener stud member cut from a flat strip of metal and havingmeans, which engage a cooperating socket member, bent up into position from a fiat blank shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and portions of the blank bent toward each other to form a circular base with a substantially continuous periphery, as shown in Figure 1. This type of stud is very inexpensive to manufacture and is very suitable for use with upholstery installations because it has the advantage of a substantially continuous ring-like base, which is adapted to be easily inserted and The stud member illustrated has a base portion 1 having slits 2, 2 and 3 to define the socketengaging portions 4, 4 and arms 5, 5. These arms 5, 5 connect the socket-engaging portions 4, 4 with the base portion 1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. After the blank has been cut from the metal strip, the projections or socket-engaging manipulated into engagement with upholstery or portions 4, 4 are bent upwardly (as shown in Fig. 4) to a substantially right angle with the plane of the base portion 1. The projections 4, 4 are located in different planes so. they may overlap (Figs; 1, 2 and 4) and the outer edges 6, 6 are so arranged that they cooperate to provide a stud head portion '7 and a neck portion 8. Theedges 6, 6 diverge from the plane of the base to the shoulders 9, 9 and then converge. The converging head portion 7 is easily guided into an aperture and the diverging or neck portion 8 readily adjusts itself to various thicknesses of metal when entered through an aperture because of the length of the neck.

The final operation in the manufacture of the stud memberis to bend the portions 10, 10 toward each other, as shown partly in Fig. 4 and in the completed member, they being separated only by a narrow slit 11 which may add flexibility to the base. The completed stud member has to all intents and purposes a continuous metal periphery which is one important feature of my invention.

It should be noted that the projections 4, 4 are rigid throughout the length of each as far as any tendency to bend toward or away from each other is concerned. However, when it is desired to engage the stud member. with a wall of a studreceiving aperture of fixed dimensions, the por-' tions 4, 4, are permitted to have a scissors like action, both being adapted to move toward each other, thereby reducing sufiiciently the distance between the shoulders 9, 9 to allow the projections to enter a socket or stud-receiving aperture, whereupontl'ie projections spring outwardly and. the edges 6, 6, pressing against the walls of the adjacent aperture,hold the stud firmly in position with respect to said aperture. The yieldable projections (moving in the above-described scissors-like motion, thereby to make engagement with a cooperating fastener socket) are adapted to do so by the resiliency of the base portion 1 and the arms 5, 5. The shape and arrangement of the arm portions 5, 5 may vary widely according to the size and shape of the base, but the arrangement illustrated is particularly satisfactory because the flexing of the base is not concentrated in any one spot but is so distributed as to prevent setting of the projections 4, 4 when squeezed together.

A modified form of a stud member is shown in Fig. 5. The principle is the same as in the fastener just described, but the yieldable projections, instead of being arranged as described, are set substantially in alignment, the yieldable projections Il being shaped to move toward and away from each other in the same plane.

The side elevation of Fig. 5 illustrates a projection 14 having an outer edge 15 extending upwardly and outwardly to a shoulder 16 and a continuation of the said edge (indicated at 1'7) extending upwardly and inwardly and thereafter downwardly and outwardly to form the outer edge of the head 18. The projection 14 has an inner edge 19 cut away, thereby to permit the other projection 20 to move toward and nest with the projection 14 during fastening engagement'with a cooperating fastener socket. The projection 20 has an outer edge 21 which extends upwardly and outwardly to the shoulder 22 and a continuation of the said edge (indicated at 23) extending upwardly and inwardly so that the outer edges of V the two projections form a substantially continuous surface on the head portions whereby the stud may easily be inserted into a socket without catching.

The result of my invention is a strong, durable stud member which has a relatively stiff spring action adapted to hold the part to which the stud 'is attached, for example, upholstery, panelling,

etc., and also has a circular base with a substantially continuous metal periphery which allows easy insertion beneath the above-mentioned upholstery or panelling.

.I am aware that stud members out and bent from sheet metal are old in a broad sense; however, I do not know of any prior stud which is formed similar to my improved studs or which has the same action or arrangement of the elements thereof.

While I have shown and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, the scope of my invention being best defined in the following claims.

1. The method of forming a one-piece snap fastener stud member having a relatively fiat base and yieldable socket-engaging means extending from said base which comprises forming a blank of the stud member from stock to form a U- shapedbase and socket-engaging means inside the U-shaped base, thereafter bending the yieldable socket-engaging means of the blank to a substantially right angle to the plane of the blank and then bending the end portions of the said U- shaped base'in the plane thereof to form a base having a substantially continuous periphery.

.2. The method of forming a one-piece sheet metal snap fastener stud member having a relatively. flat base and yieldable socket-engaging means extending from said base which comprises forming a blank of the stud member from sheet metal stock, thereafter bending the yieldable socket-engaging means of the blank to a substantially right angle to the plane of the blank and then bending portions of the said blank toward each other in the plane thereof to form a base having a substantially continuous periphery.

3. The method of forming a one-piece sheet metal snap fastened stud member having a relatively fiat base and yieldable socket-engaging means extending from said base from a blank having a plurality of slits therein which comprises forming a blank of the stud member from metal stock, thereafter bending portions of said blank defined by said slits to a substantially right angle to the plane of the blank, said portions forming the said yieldable socket-engaging means, and thereafter bending other portions of said blank in the plane thereof to form a base having a substantially continuous periphery.

4. The method of forming a one-piece sheet metal snap fastener stud member having a relatively fiat base and yieldable socket-engaging means extending from said base from a blank having a plurality of slits extending inwardly from one side thereof, said slits defining the yieldable socket-engaging means and base of said stud member, which comprises forming a blank of the stud member from metal stock, bending portions of saidblank to a substantially right angle to the plane of said blank, said portions forming a yieldable socket-engaging means, and thereafter bending other portions of said blank in the plane thereof to form a base having a substantially continuous metal periphery.

5. The method of forming a one-piece sheet metal snap fastener stud member having a relatively fiat base, yieldable socket-engaging means extending from said base from a blank having a plurality of slits extending inwardly from one side thereof, said slits defining the yieldable socketengaging means and base of said stud member which comprises forming a blank of the stud 6. The method of forming a one-piece snap fastener stud member having a relatively fiat base and yieldable socket-engaging means extending from said base which comprises forming a blank of the stud member from stock, thereafter bending the yieldable socket-engaging means of the blank to a substantially right angle to theplane of the blank and substantially on a line transverse the said blank and then bending portions of the said blank in the plane thereof to forma base having "a substantially continuous periphery.

WALTER I. JONES. 

